Tangled Vines (26 page)

“Jet. This is beautiful, it really is. But I can’t take this. It would be weird—like I was your mistress or something.”

Jet crossed the room quickly and sat beside her.

“Linnea, don’t be ridiculous. I don’t want you for my mistress. I want you for my wife.”

With those words her mouth dropped open and for the first time ever, she was speechless. Jet laughed at her expression and held his hands up.

“Whoa. I don’t mean right
now
. And I was going to have a ring ready for this conversation, but you sort of forced my hand, Linnea.”

“I—I—don’t know what you mean,” she stuttered.

“What I mean is what I said outside. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. I would move in with you today but I know your Ye Ye would throttle me. So, for now, you can live here and if you feel you have to because of your stubborn streak, you can pay a little rent. Then when you’re ready and we’ve made it official, we can move in together.”

All Linnea could do was shake her head.

“There’s another room I want you to see.” He pulled her up and led her past the tiny kitchen and down the short hall. He opened the door and Linnea gasped. She was acting like a giddy schoolgirl and though she didn’t want to, she couldn’t help it.

Inside was the most gorgeous bedroom she’d ever seen. It had really only two pieces of furniture—but that was all the room needed. Besides an overstuffed chair in the corner next to a table stacked high with books for reading, the room was decorated around an antique Chinese canopy wedding bed.

Linnea knew immediately the piece was one of the few remaining from the Qing dynasty. It was huge and besides the red canopied sleeping area, included an alcove sitting area in the front.

“Jet, this is worth a lot of money.” She shook her head in amazement. “I mean, seriously—a
lot
of money.”

She crossed the room to get a closer look. She pulled back the delicate silk curtains and peeked inside. It was huge! Looking closer at the wood, she could see the elaborate carvings of garden scenes and birds.

“You said one time you’d never had your own bed. I wanted your first to be one fitting of who you are. This bed has been in my family for decades and my father wanted me to have it. He knows where it is now and agrees. This bed is majestic, proud, and beautiful. It was made for someone like you, Lin.”

Linnea truly couldn’t find any words to say. She looked at the lush emerald-green silk bedding and piles of pillows and could only imagine how comfortable it was. She turned to Jet and shook her head. He was innocent! And she was an idiot. She felt her face burn with shame.

“You’ve been very, very sneaky.”

He laughed and pushed her back until her knees were against
the raised platform holding the mattress. With one more gentle push, she fell on the bed and he joined her. “Want to break it in?”

She playfully hit at him. “No!”

He ignored her and nuzzled her neck. “Mmmm…I told you I’ve missed you, Lin.”

Linnea sat up. “Does my family know about this, Jet?”

He shook his head. “Nope. Not a word from me. It’s been hard sneaking by them on my way to check on the progress but so far I think I’ve managed. I didn’t know what you’d want to do, and if you turned me down completely, I didn’t want to face them.”

“Well, tell me this—how did you get this family heirloom away from your mother when she found out it would be something set up for me?” Linnea ran her hand along the silk again, relishing the cool feel of the cover.

“I won’t lie—she didn’t like it at first. But she’s slowly learning to unravel the set plans she had for me and allow me to live my own life. We had a long talk, and she said she’s going to try to be easier on me—which means she’ll be easier on you. But I don’t want to talk about my mother right now, Lin. This is about us, and I want to do this for you. Will you let me?”

“Jet. I don’t know what to say.” She didn’t.

He touched the tip of her nose and traced her profile with his finger, causing more tingles as he touched her lips. “Just say you’ll think about it. You could move in here next week if you want to. They only have to finish painting the trim work.”

Linnea let herself feel the coziness underneath her and wondered what it would be like to spend every night in a real bed. She wouldn’t even let herself think about how it was roomy enough for two—at least. She looked into his eyes and saw the hope there, and she couldn’t crush it.

“I just want your life to be easier, Lin.”

“Can you give me some time? I need to process all this.”

“
Absolutely. I’ll give you anything—haven’t I already proved that?” He leaned in and finally, after weeks of doing without, Linnea allowed his lips to meet hers and she relaxed against him. Maybe she’d spent so much time trying to prove she was more than a scavenger’s daughter that she had missed the signs that Jet loved her for who she was. Money, success, looks—all along she’d been thinking she needed all of it to be taken seriously, but now she was wondering if maybe those were just icing on the cake.

She pulled him closer to her, then saw the playful twinkle in his eye. They’d never had a comfortable place to be together and she felt a thrill at the sudden thought of such privacy. As his fingers crept under her blouse, she thought she could get used to such a luxury real quick—she knew that for sure.

L
i Jin stared out the window of the bus as the driver careened down the Shanghai expressway and bullied the surrounding cars and trucks to gain prime highway space. Jojo lay sleeping with his head across her lap and his long legs sticking out into the aisle. As the lights of Suzhou had faded behind them earlier, Li Jin felt that same unsettling sense of uncertainty she’d felt before. With only a few clothes to their name—and a decent sum of money, thanks to Erik’s stash—they were running again, but at least this time she had a destination in mind. She and Jojo wouldn’t be forced to find shelter in the hostels or streets; instead, if everything went as planned, Jing’s sister would be waiting for them with a hot meal and a soft bed.

The bus hit a bump and Li Jin was jolted in her seat. She kept her arm wrapped around Jojo’s body to keep him from falling forward but he didn’t even flinch. Nothing could wake up her son when he was sleeping that soundly. The bus was overcrowded as usual and though Li Jin was already tired of the multitude of strange smells, the incessant chattering of the two old women behind her, and the bumpy ride, she was glad for the feeling of being surrounded.

She felt for her bag with her feet and was relieved it was still there. She wouldn’t take the chance of putting it in the overhead with other luggage, instead choosing to keep it in front of her. She moved her head as far to the side as she could without turning around so she could see where the guy was. Just before they’d pulled out of the station, he’d joined the trip and Li Jin couldn’t shake the paranoid feeling that he was watching her. When he’d stepped up on the bus and looked for a vacant seat, Li Jin immediately sensed danger. At least twenty-five or so, he wore his pants low and baggy like the gang boys. The black bandana tied around his head only added to his rebellious look. With a small bag draped over his shoulder and an iPod in his hand, he’d swaggered down the aisle and when she had locked eyes with him, his stare bore right through her until she looked away. He’d stopped only a few seats behind hers and without a word, waved at a teen to get out of the way. The teen didn’t argue. He picked up his stuff and moved into the seat with another man and gave the gang guy his way. She hoped the ugly stitches holding the gash together on her face would make him stay away.

That made her think of Jing again and Li Jin sighed. Leaving Suzhou behind was a relief like no other, but she wished Jing could have come with them. She’d been such an angel and without her there was no telling where they’d be.

Li Jin knew it wasn’t likely but she still couldn’t shake the feeling that Erik was after her. She wondered when, if ever, she’d be able to get over her fear of him and his threats to report her to the police for carrying his drugs. But she wasn’t stupid. If he pointed the finger at her, then he would be implicated, too. She just hoped he kept his mouth shut so she could make a new life for her and Jojo.

She shifted in the seat to take the pressure from her arm. Jing had done a great job with setting it and despite the original plan for them to leave right away, they’d spent an entire week in her cozy home as she tended to her injuries and Li Jin regained her strength. For a few days even walking was difficult because of the soreness from her beating, but soon with the tender touch of the old woman, Li Jin had felt her instinct to protect her son kick in and she had improved quickly. Jojo was ecstatic when Jing had arranged for her grandson to come visit from Shanghai to keep him company for their last few days, and there were times after a burst of laughter from the boys that Li Jin felt relief that Jing’s building and even the interior walls were made from the ancient concrete that would muffle every sound between apartments.

It had amazed Li Jin that the little boy named Fei Fei had been so self-sufficient and got on so well with Jojo, despite being totally blind. As she recuperated, the boys played with cars and even built Lego towers, and never a mention of a disability crossed their lips. Li Jin knew then her son was special, that he could accept someone for what was on the inside instead of judging their outward appearance. Maybe she hadn’t done such a bad job as a mother, after all.

Li Jin had tried to leave Jing some money to cover the food and care she had so unselfishly given them, but the old woman had stubbornly refused and told her to save it to rebuild her life. She’d insisted that Jojo call her Nai Nai, and that they come back to visit her one day when the foreign devil had returned to his own country. Jing said she’d keep close watch and keep Li Jin informed if they were lucky enough to see him bid China good-bye. Li Jin felt tears swimming in her eyes as she remembered the firm hug Jing had given her. It was her first from an elderly female and it made Li Jin wonder if that feeling she experienced was what others felt when embracing their mothers. The hug was warm and secure, and Li Jin could have melted into it and stayed forever. She had hated to pull away.

As her eyes got heavier, the memories of years past refused to let her rest. Like a movie, the scenes of the different foster mothers and orphanage nannies she had known scrolled through her mind. Of course she always liked to remember the first family that was kind to her. But along with that memory came the one of the day she was returned to the orphanage.

That was the first time the director told her she wasn’t good enough—smart enough or pretty enough—for the family to want to keep her. Over the years she’d heard that plenty more times until she grew old enough to stop caring.

She didn’t always want to play the victim and reminded herself that there were good things to remember from her childhood. There were even a few affectionate nannies who passed in and out of the orphanage, on their way to better jobs. Some even took Li Jin under their protective wing during her short visits between homes. But there were also the ones who left scars that would never heal—scars only she knew about because they were on the inside. By the time she’d hit puberty Li Jin had learned what halls to steer away from, what guards to avoid, and which nannies would take their frustration at life out on her. She was considered a long timer, and the other children respected her and came to her for help. They all rooted for her to find a forever family, but it just never happened. No one had ever wanted her. And now, with what would most likely be a horrendous scar slashed across her cheek, no one ever would again.

She leaned her head back against the ratty headrest and let her eyes close. She laid her hand on Jojo’s soft head of hair. Life would be different for him. They might not have much, but what he would have was the love and commitment of a mother by his side through thick and thin. He’d feel that sense of protection she’d missed out on. Her son would never have to walk through a long dark hallway with the threat of the unknown chasing him down. She’d see to that if it was the last thing she ever did.

Li Jin stood and leaned against the seat to steady herself from the swaying of the bus, then pulled the matching pillows Jing had sent with them from the luggage rack above their seats. Jojo had wanted something to remember her by and the sweet woman had plucked them right off her couch and pushed them into their arms.

“I embroidered these pillows and something told me I’d be giving them to someone of importance in my life.” Jing had pointed to the birds artfully sewn as the main focal point in the center of them. “This is the phoenix and it symbolizes the energy of great strength and resilience. This bird is able to rise from its own ashes to reach greater heights.”

Jojo had smiled as he looked down at his pillow and Li Jin had met Jing’s eyes over his head. They both knew the message was for her. Jing was encouraging her to be like a phoenix—and that was what she would do. For Jojo.

Li Jin was jarred from her thoughts of Jing by the two elderly ladies behind her. They pointed to the overhead bin and asked her to get their stuff. Awkwardly, Li Jin pulled their bags down, hoping the tape holding the plastic together stayed intact.

“The driver said we’ll be there in ten minutes, Jojo! Aren’t you excited?” The bus weaved into the fast lane and Li Jin had to grab the seat to keep from falling. With the jarring came more streaks of pain down her arm and to other still-sore places on her body. Strangely, the ladies cackled with delight at her clumsiness, making Li Jin think they led a very limited life. She flashed them a scolding look, then sat back down and stuffed the pillows in front of her feet. She wanted to be ready to be one of the first off when they pulled into the depot.

While she stood, she’d seen Gang Boy in his seat, though she’d pretended not to. Once again he stared at her, a blank expression on his face. Li Jin couldn’t quite tell if it was anger or just nonchalance and hoped he didn’t get off at the same stop. So far he’d spent his time listening to music or whispering into his mobile phone. As far as Li Jin could tell, he had spoken to no one on the bus.

Trying to shake her paranoid thoughts, she leaned over and kissed Jojo loudly on his eyebrow. He didn’t crack a smile. He was hungry and grumpy. The rice cakes Jing had sent were long gone and though they’d stopped at a roadside café earlier, all the passengers had opted to skip breakfast to beat the morning traffic to get farther on their route.

“I want off now, Ma. I need to pee.” He jiggled his legs up and down rapidly.

Li Jin ruffled the top of his head. With the hour it took to get to Shanghai and switch buses, they’d been on the road for about six hours, a long time for a kid. “I know you do, Son, just a few more minutes.”

“Then where are we going?” he asked. His face was one dark scowl, making him look older than usual.

“Lao Jing’s sister is meeting us in Huangshan and she’s going to give us a place to stay for a while. Her name is Lao Shuwen.”

“But how will she find us? Does she know what we look like?”

“Good question, Jojo. Jing said we’d know her because she’ll be the only one holding a bright red balloon to welcome you.”

Jojo’s eyebrows came together comically. “I’m too old for balloons, Ma.”

Li Jin laughed. “I know you are, but just act like you’re excited to get it, okay? And it was a good way for us to be able to find each other without our names being posted on a sign.”

Jojo nodded and began fidgeting again. Li Jin hoped he could hold it just a few minutes longer.

“After we meet up with Lao Shuwen, she’ll take us to our new temporary home.” Li Jin was purposely evasive. They wouldn’t be staying in Huangshan but instead they’d travel to a nearby village. She didn’t want to say it aloud as you never knew who could be listening. She was surprised Jojo hadn’t asked more about their destination. She and Jing had discussed most of the plan when he was playing with her grandson, and all they’d told Jojo was they were going to go to a new city and he’d start at another school to make more friends. But Li Jin was sure he
knew they were running from Erik. At Jing’s place, even unspoken
, they were both filled with fear that any moment he would burst in and find them. Even the way he played with Fei Fei, his voice hushed and his moves quiet, showed Li Jin that he was ever aware of just who might be upstairs.